The present invention relates to a bending device for bending a pipe, a round bar or other elongated materials.
A known bending device is, as proposed in a publication of Japanese patent application laid-open No. Hei 1-154824, provided with a fixed positioning jig with a clearance formed therein for passing a material, a bending jig with a clearance formed therein for passing the material supplied from the positioning jig, and a slide mechanism for moving the bending jig vertically and horizontally relative to a material supply direction, so that the material being supplied is bent by moving the bending jig. Further in the device, the bending jig is swingably supported vertically and horizontally in such a manner that the clearance in the bending jig is directed to a direction of a tangent line of the material to be bent. The device is also provided with two drive sources for swinging the bending jig vertically and horizontally.
In the prior-art device, however, the bending jig is moved vertically, i.e. perpendicularly to the material supply direction and horizontally, and swung vertically and horizontally, thereby complicating a mechanism. Further, multiple drive sources need to be controlled by a control device. Therefore, its control mechanism is also complicated. Additionally, the bent material easily interferes with the slide mechanism, and a degree of freedom in bending is disadvantageously restricted.